Phytodiversity and Ethno medicinal Survey of Kehmil Forest Division Kupwara Kashmir

Abstract

newline 1 newlineAbstract newlineA comprehensive ethnobatanical study was carried out in Kehmil forest division of newlinedistrict Kupwara Kashmir, during October 2017 to July 2022. The study area is newlinefloristically very rich, with dense vegetation cover. Personal, semi structured interviews newlineand questionnaires were used to collect the ethnomedicinal data from local inhabitants of newlineKehmil forest division. A total of 150 informants were interviewed throughout the study. newlineIt is observed that compared with young people, the old elderly have high knowledge of newlinemedicinal plants and their usage. A total of 170 medicinal plants have been recorded newlinefrom the study area belonging to 59 families, most of them belong to family Asteraceae newline21 species followed by Lamiaceae 14 species. Most of the plant part used as medicine is newlineRoots (60) followed by whole plant (59) and leaves (32). Herbs are the dominated species newlinewhich are used as medicine followed by trees and shrubs. From the current study, it can newlinebe concluded that the people in the study area have a wealth of traditional knowledge newlineinherited from their ancestors. People in the study area still rely on medicinal plants for newlineprimary health care. It has been also seen some of the plant species belongs to newlineendangered plants as per IUCN red list. Most of these plants are used in abundance. So newlinethe necessary steps should be taken to conserve these medicinally important plants. Some newlineof the important species which are critically endangered and have high risk of extinction newlineare Trillium govanianum, Aconitum violaceum, Saussurea costa, Aconitum chasmanthum, newlineLilium polyphyllum, Fritillaria roylei, Jurinea dolomiaea, Allium victorials and Aconitum newlineheterophyllum. The study emphasized the importance of wild medicinal plants used in the newlinestudy area. The current study will help the younger generation understand traditional newlineknowledge related to plants. The research provides a useful self-care for indigenous newlinepeople in the Kashmir Himalayas. newlineA quantitative phytosociological study was carried out to investigate the newlinephytosociological measurements and evaluation of vegetation in Kehmil forest division. newlineThe study is divided into three different sites according to their altitude gradient. This newlinestudy describes the vegetation diversity of Kehmil forest division along the altitude newlinegradient at different study sites. The altitude range of the study area ranged from 1850 to newline3200m ASL. A total of 285 plant species have been recorded from the study area, out of newline2 newlinethese herbs were 222, shrubs 42 and trees 21 belonging to 69 families. The most newlinedominated families were Asteraceae 30 species followed by Rosaceae 23 species and newlineLamiaceae 22 species. A total of 265 quadrates of different sizes were used to collect the newlinedata. In case of tree layer the most dominated tree species were Cedrus deodar, Abies newlinepindrow, Pinus wallichiana while as in case of shrubs Viburnum grandiflorum and newlineIndigofera heterantha were dominant and in case of herbs Fragaria nubicola, Primula newlinedenticulata, Phytolacca acinosa, Poa annua, Cynodon dactylon, Geranium newlinewallichianum, Veronica laxa, Valeriana jatamansi are the dominant species which are newlinepresent in all the three study sites. The highest values of Shannon_H were reported for newlinesite 3rd 4.634, while as for site 2nd the values are 4.545 and for site 1st which has lowest newlinevalue which is recorded as 4.419. Simpson_1-D was reported for site 3rd 0.989, while as newlinefor site 2nd the values are0.9873 and for site 1st which has lowest value which is recorded newlineas 0.9856. Highest frequency in case of tree layer was reported for Abies pindrow newline(86.84), while as in case of shrubs it was reported for Viburnum grandiflorum (68.12) and newlinein case of herb layer highest values were reported for Fragaria nubicola (68.42). Highest newlinevalues of IVI in case of tree layer was reported for Abies pindrow (95.29), while as in newlinecase of shrubs it was reported for Viburnum grandiflorum (64.78) and in case of herb newlinelayer highest values were reported for Fragaria nubicola (37.25). Gymnosperms were the newlinedominant in case of trees in the study area due to their slow growth.